The present invention relates in general to outdoor cooking units.
Heretofore, portable outdoor cooking units were supported by carts, tables, tripod arrangements and legs. Such portable outdoor cooking units did not employ a hemispherical base and particularly a hemispherical base that served as a warming unit.
The Weber Covered Barbeque Kettle has been sold by Weber-Stephen Products Co., which included a bowl-shaped firebox supported by a tripod-leg arrangement. Positioned within the firebox is a fuel grate on which briquettes are disposed. Positioned within the firebox above the fuel grate is a cooking grill on which food is disposed for cooking. A bowl-shaped cover is also supported by the bowl-shaped firebox. The same company sells a Weber Smokey Joe Grill, which is a kettle-type barbeque cooking unit, but smaller in size and is supported by loop-shaped legs.
The U.S. patent to Hait, U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,752, issued on Feb. 11, 1992, for Outdoor Cooking Unit With A Pedestal Stand discloses an outdoor cooking unit in which a pedestal stand supports a firebox above the ground. The firebox has an inverted, truncated pyramidal configuration. Disposed within the firebox is a fire grate. A cooking grill is disposed above the fire grate. The pedestal stand includes a pillar having an inverted, truncated pyramidal configuration on which is supported the firebox. An ash receptacle is disposed at the bottom of the pillar. A V-stand disposed on a cooking grill supports a chicken or other suitable fowl for cooking. See also pending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 07/802,813, filed by Paul W. Hait on Dec. 6, 1991, for Outdoor Pedestal Stand Cooking Unit With Foldable Components. The assignee of the present application is also the assignee of the aforementioned pending application.
In the patent to Hait, U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,551, issued on Dec. 5, 1989, for Outdoor Cooking Unit, there is disclosed a kettle-type outdoor cooking unit. The outdoor cooking unit includes an hemispherical cooking unit and an hemispherical cover above the hemispherical cooking unit. At the top of the hemispherical cooking unit is supported a depending firebox. Above the firebox is disposed a cooking grill.
In the U.S. patent to Hait, U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,706, granted on Dec. 25, 1984, for Multi-Purpose Fuel Efficient Portable Stove/Heater, there is disclosed a portable stove and heater. At the lower extremity of the portable stove and heater is located a chamber in which food is warmed or maintained warm. The warming chamber is formed in part by a tray.
Cooks Club of Harrison, N.J., has distributed a vegetable steamer made of stainless steel. The vegetable steamer is adjustable so that the diametric extent and depth thereof can be adjusted. The vegetable steamer comprises a perforated flat base. Hingedly attached to the flat base are successively overlapping sector-shaped perforated panels. Each panel overlaps and underlies adjacent respective panels. Through this arrangement, the vegetable steamer can be adjusted in diametric extent and in depth.
Pyromid, Inc. of Redmond, Oreg., has manufactured and sold outdoor cooking units in which a stainless steel cooking grill is formed with openings aligned in rows and in columns.
The patent to Hait, U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,975, issued on May 16, 1989, for Cooking Unit With Improved Fire Grate discloses an outdoor cooking unit with a folded windbreak that seats along a cooking grill. The cooking grill is formed with openings aligned in rows and in columns. See also the patent to Hait, U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,650, issued on Jan. 30, 1990, for Cooking Unit With Improved Fire Grate and the U.S. patent to Hait, U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,551, issued on Dec. 5, 1989, for Outdoor Cooking Unit. A fire grate is disclosed therein configured to receive the narrow section of briquettes and the briquettes are vertically oriented. The U.S. patent to Hait et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,505, issued on Jul. 30, 1985, for Convertible Cooking Units With An Oven discloses a rectanguloid base that serves as an oven.